I attended a Home Alone Training Class at the Orion Center in Orion Twp to review the class. Home alone training class is ideal for children who may find
themselves without adult supervision due to a latchkey situation. The Home Alone Training Class workshop is also a fantastic resource for pre-teens and teenagers who may be interested in making a few dollars babysitting. My own children are at that age when Mom and Dad aren’t always home so I was excited at the opportunity to take the workshop at the Orion Center. The class is about an hour-long, and it’s for kids ages 9-14.
Thankfully, you don’t have to live near Orion Twp to attend a class like this as many of our area’s local parks and rec departments host them.
OAKLAND COUNTY MOMS EDUCATION ARTICLES & RESOURCES
Home Alone Training Class Review
Many Oakland County communities, hospitals and businesses offer Home Alone Safety classes for kids. I’ve noticed that many vary in length and in curriculum – some offer CPR training and are quite extensive.
The Home Alone Training Class class began with a simple round table discussion of each participant reading through a “what if” scenario and the kids would discuss good, safe methods of action for each. This was a great ice breaker and a nice way for the instructor to gauge how knowledgeable the participants were. The “message” is particularly effective in a classroom setting as it heightens the importance of the lesson as opposed to mom or dad preaching it to them at a dinner table.
After the discussion, the children watched a 20 minute DVD that had other kids in it discussing their home alone rules and procedures.
The Home Alone Safety DVD for kids discussed safety methods for the following home alone scenarios
- getting ready in the morning if parents leave for work before you
- coming home alone
- have a secret word
- entering a home alone
- answering the phone
- cooking
- what to do if power goes out
- medical emergencies
After the DVD was complete, the instructor handed out a very informational take home booklet that was filled with great tips for home alone safety. The booklet was easy to read, and geared toward the younger audience. Some of the pages in the booklet were: an emergency numbers and family information page you could use, poison control info, how to make a 911 call, first aid kit components, first aid pointers, choking, fire escape plan, and things to do i.e. plan your time for when you’re home alone.
All the kids in the class were very engaged. The instructor did a great job discussing a topic that can be potentially scary, but without scaring the kids. Additionally, it was at a level they could all relate to, understand, and maintain.
At the end of the Home Alone Training Class class, each child that participated received a certificate showing that they completed the course. They were quite proud of themselves, and seemed very ready to take on the role of staying home alone.
I’m very glad my kids have taken Home Alone classes. Once they heard these basics, we set our own rules and procedures so there is a clear understanding of what they should do when certain situations arise.
This Home Alone Training workshop follows the American Red Cross Curriculum and is offered seasonally. Registration is $17 per student (resident) or $20 (non resident). Class fills quickly, spaces limited, Contact the Orion Township Community Programs Department at 248-391-0304 Ext 3500 or jvezina@oriontownship.org for more info on the Home Alone Training Class offered by Orion Twp Parks & Rec. The next Home Alone Training Workshop is Thursday, January 25, 2024 from 6:30p-7:30p.
To learn more about the Orion Twp Parks and Rec Home Alone Training Class, visit www.oriontownship.org
